The digitization of communication not only makes it possible to network with people we know from offline contexts, but also to make contact - often casually - with those we see as "outgroups." Prejudices, stereotypes and possibly discriminatory tendencies may exist about these in advance. This raises the question of the extent to which encounters with outgroups enabled by online communication have desirable cognitive and behavioral effects (such as by improving attitudes toward the outgroup). To this end, we are interested in the following questions:

• How can different social media content contribute to increasing knowledge about the stigmatization of social groups?
• Which psychological factors promote the reduction of prejudices when using digital media?
• Under what circumstances can new communication technologies facilitate encounters among (political) dissenters?
• When can social media counter polarization and fragmentation processes through interactions among (politically) dissenters?

Discuss with me! Evaluation of a digital platform for the promotion of political dialogue with dissenters (practical research project in fall semester 2021/22)

Neubaum, G. (2021). Polarisierung. In I. Borucki, K. Kleinen-von Königslöw, S. Marschall, T. Zerback (Hrsg.), Handbuch Politische Kommunikation. Springer VS. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-658-26242-6_57-1

Neubaum, G., Sobieraj, S., Raasch, J., & Riese, J. (2020). Digital destigmatization: How exposure to networking profiles can reduce social stereotypes. Computers in Human Behavior, 112. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2020.106461

Neubaum, G., Krämer, N. C., & Alt, K. (2020). Psychological effects of repeated exposure to elevating entertainment: An experiment over the period of 6 weeks. Psychology of Popular Media Culture, 9(2), 194–207 doi:10.1037/ppm0000235